Happy Birthday
by tashaxxx
Summary: Face's life told from his birthdays


**For anyone reading Surface of Memories I am getting round to writing more but have lost inspiration so could be a while before I finish it. **

**I have no idea on the age of Face in the show so the ages are fully made up so sorry if things aren't right. **

**5****th**

"Happy Birthday." A tall skinny blonde woman whispered to a small boy with equally blonde hair. She smiled down at her son, giving him a small kiss on the cheek. The little boy looked up at his Mother, not comprehending what was going on. They were stood outside a large building. It was dark. The little boy was afraid of the dark. Why was his Mummy making him stand in the dark? Why weren't they at home? He couldn't understand it but he'd promised to do what he was told. "This is for you. I love you honey." She kissed him again before walking away, leaving the little boy to watch and stare after his Mummy. "Stay put. I'll be back soon with your present. Just close your eyes and count to a hundred." The little boy nodded and did so. He never noticed his Mother walking away from him with glistening tear filled eyes.

**10****th**

Honey. It was his birthday today so the nun's had given him some honey to put into his porridge. It stood there and it seemed to young boy that it was watching him. What was the use of honey? If he had a family he'd get honey every day. That's what his best friend at school said he got. But he wasn't an orphan. He had a family. Templeton was about to lift the honey up when a boy walked over to him and snatched it from the table. The little boy looked at him but said nothing. What was the point anyway? "Gonna cry, baby?" The other boy taunted as he sat in front of Templeton. "Get anything." He just sat there staring at the other boy. He was taller than him. Older to. "Poor cry baby. Want his honey back. Come get it." Templeton didn't know how it happened but all of a sudden he was on top of the other boy, hitting him. A nurse came then. Shouted at him and dragged him to his room. She hit him a few times then left him alone. Alone on his birthday.

**18****th**

It felt as if Templeton's life was falling apart all around him. Lesley had disappeared. Left him. Gone off with some other guy. The fraternity pin was clutched into his hands. He'd never see her again but the pin was for her. Not for him. Templeton resolved to give it to one of Lesley's friends. They may not be prepared to tell him were Lesley was but maybe they'd give it to her. At least then she'd no he cared. Templeton had no idea what he was going to do. Walking the streets he looked all around him. He had no one. Everyone had left him. Templeton had left the orphanage only a year ago, moved into the college dorms. They said he'd make something of himself but all he felt was a complete and utter failure. Walking up to the shop window Face looked inside if it. It was a recruitment area for the army. "Happy Birthday Temp." Templeton muttered to himself sarcastically before walking inside.

**20****th**

Hannibal watched the kid as he did the obstacle course a third time. He'd been in the group for nearly a year now. Sometimes it amazed Hannibal how a young kid had managed to survive this long in Nam. But Face was a scrapper. He'd known that the day he'd met the lieutenant. But today he looked distracted. When the kid slipped in the wet mud for the 10th time Hannibal shouted for him to come over. A light trickle of rain was falling, making the already humid air damp. The kid looked a mess. Covered in mud, pale and a little thin. There was a sad look in the blue eyes to but Face hid it well. "Anything wrong?"

"No sir." Face replied, giving Hannibal his disarming smile. Hannibal sighed before sending him to the showers. Maybe the kid was upset that he was having his birthday here. Resolving to cheer the young lieutenant up Hannibal went in search of Murdock.

That night Face in the bar Face was surprised when Murdock, BA, Hannibal and Ray wished him a happy birthday. He hadn't realised they knew. Well he knew Hannibal did the CO had read his file but he didn't think they'd care. Turned out he was wrong. That was the best birthday Face had ever had.

**21****st**

They'd taken him today. Beaten him bad. Raped him. The pretty boy soldier they called him. Face didn't give them the benefit of seeing his tears though. He stayed silent. Until he got back to the cage and silently cried. It was hard to keep track of the days in here but Hannibal always told them. Today was his birthday. And he'd been given a busted wrist. Busted ribs. Blood covered him from inch to inch. The tears that night were longer than they'd ever been. Small sobs escaped Face's body. Pain filled and saddened by the date Face found comfort in a small fact. He wasn't alone. Murdock was attached to his side, muttering things about Billy under his breath. BA sat there to with a protective look on his face. Hannibal was sat by Face's other side giving Face the silent comfort that a Father should give. He may be in hell but he wasn't alone. That was at least one thing for Face to be grateful for.

**25****th**

They'd had to split up. With the MP's hot on their trails Hannibal had decided the best way to get rid of them would be to go spate ways. They were meant to meet up again in a week. Murdock was still at the VA hospital. Face visited sometimes. Missed his best friend but Murdock wasn't in any right mind to leave just yet. Soon though. He was improving then Murdock could help them with the jazz filled jobs. Face couldn't understand this. In an ideal world Face would have been celebrating this year with a wife and maybe a kid. A family. Sure the team were a family and Face would always be grateful for that. Just not now. He was a fugitive. He'd probably die on the run. Never get his perfect family. And now he had to spend another birthday alone. Rationally Face knew they couldn't have spent it together today but there was and always would be some part of his mind that thought they would abandon him. Leave him alone. Just like everyone else had.

**31****st**

"So it's Face's birthday today?" Amy asked, looking at Murdock to be certain.

"Sure is. But don't go making too much fuss about it. Face don't like his birthday." Murdock stated. Face just like the company Murdock thought. Being an orphan Murdock didn't think Face got many good things for his birthday so he probably didn't expect it. Murdock had wanted to get Facey something special every year he'd known him but there wasn't much point. After knowing Face so long Murdock knew that Face wouldn't except anything form him or anyone else. That just wasn't how Face was programmed. "How bout we buy Faceman a cat?" Murdock asked excitedly, getting an angry look from the ugly mudsucker.

"I ain't havin' no cat hairs in my van." Murdock would have protested but Face had just returned to the van with Hannibal.

"Happy birthday Face." Amy said, expecting some sort of reaction. Instead Face gave her a level look and pretended not to hear her. He didn't want to remember his birthday anymore. Face had resolved that from now on he would let the day pass. Both the day and the feelings.

**33****rd**

Great. Just great. His birthday and Face had been caught by Decker. Great. All he'd been doing was driving to pick up his date. He hadn't even been driving his corvette seeing as it was in garage because of Murdock borrowing it. A boring looking car. There were hundreds of the damned thing in the city and somehow Decker had spotted it. Decker gave Face a small smile as he watched the MP's hang-cuff him and lock him in the back of the car. This was not his day, Face thought as the car drove down the street.

BA was driving the van to the restraint. Face had said something about finding a date for BA seeing as everyone else had. Ba hadn't been too happy about that fool idea but he figured he might as well. The girl was bound to be pretty at least. Sirens filled the air making BA start as he put the van in drive and sped the hell out of there. How'd those fools find him?

Making an emergency stop so as to avoid a van that had pulled out of nowhere, BA gave a quick glance back. He was surprised to see Face running out of the car and an MP falling out of the back of the car. "Drive." Face said, breathlessly as he climbed into the front seat currently picking the lock of the hand cuffs. BA did just that, looking Face over for a moment. Sometimes BA had to wonder how Face had so much bad luck. There wasn't a lot the fool told the team but they all knew Face hadn't had a lot of good luck. And now he'd been caught by Decker on his birthday. "You alright BA?" Face asked, giving BA one of his genuine smiles. "Think I might miss dinner. Watch the football instead. Want to come?" BA nodded. Face's mask was up again. Ever the con artist.

**35****th**

Groggy, Face woke up to gleaming white walls surrounding him. Groaning, Face became suddenly aware of the pain slicing its way up his side and the tube stuck down his throat. Moving his head slightly, Face saw that the chair next to him was unoccupied. Where were the team? What was going on? Face felt himself start to move around a little more until a young nurse came inside shock written on her face she ran out again. Face must have blacked out for a while because the next thing he knew he was a wake as a Doctor was prodding his side and taking the tube out.

"You'll be groggy and in pain for a while but we've repaired the damage the bullet did so there won't be any long term effects." Face only nodded before he let the world go black once more.

"He's wakin' up." A voice said in the distance of Face's hearing. He was starting to regain his senses about him again. Not that anything was really making any sense through the fog of pain that clouded Face's whole head. White hot pain was making itself known from his side, causing him to shuffle in discomfort. A loud groan passed through Face's lips as another voice said. "Come on open those big blue eyes." Face felt his eyes flutter open. The light was blinding but soon his eyes started to adjust. Murdock was sat by his side with Hannibal on the other side. BA was leaning against the door and Frankie was stood by the other wall. Lifting himself up Face felt a pair of hands push him back down.

"Not too fast." It was Hannibal's hands pushing him down. Face nodded.

"You scared us half to death, Faceyman. You've been out of it for 2 days." Face nodded again, not sure what Murdock was talking about.

"You got shot in a restaurant fool." BA grunted from the side. Face closed his eyes for a moment letting the memories flood back.

Opening his eyes once more Face took a moment to look around him. On the table stood a large cake with a few candles sticking out of it. Face looked at Hannibal, searching for an explanation. Hannibal laughed at Face's bemused look. "It's your birthday today kid. So we decided to get you a cake."

Frankie brought the cake over as Murdock helped Face sit up. "Make a big wish Face." Murdock grinned happily. Face though for a moment before he blew out the candles. "What'd you wish for?" Face only shook his head.

"Thanks guys." Face mumbled as his eyes started to close again. A grin was on his face. A genuine one. A happy one. Because Face was content. Sure they were still on the run and working for Stockwell but Face had never felt so happy. They were a family. And that's what Face had always wished for. So he'd wished they'd always stay a family.


End file.
